All or Nothing

“Whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12)

Being a Christian is all or nothing. You are faithful to God or you are not. Scriptures warns us about being lukewarm. “I know your works. I know that you are neither cold nor hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked.” (Revelation 3:15-17)  Jesus would rather us make a firm decision against him than show nominal, half-hearted interest in being a Christian. God knows every intimate detail about each one of us and still loves us with an unfailing, crazy love. How do we respond to His love? Do we see this as an incredible treasure that we are willing to place above everything else in our lives? Are we satisfied with being mediocre in our faith?

When we are lukewarm we tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. We are willing to give money to the church but only from our surplus. We don’t really want to be saved from our sin, just from the punishment of our sins. We go to church on Sunday but we don’t want to share our faith with our coworkers or friends because we don’t want to be rejected by others. We compare ourselves to others and remind ourselves that we aren’t nearly as bad as ____. We’re willing to give time to Christ but there is a limit, we don’t want Him to control our lives. We want to do what is necessary to be “good enough” without it requiring too much of us. We all struggle with holiness and can fall into these behaviors but there is a difference in one who is satisfied with this way of being and one who is in the process of being transformed by Christ.

To be a true disciple means that we take on a posture of obedience and surrender, and are perpetually moving toward Christ. Being a true disciple is a choice that I have to make every second of every day. It needs to always be in our hearts because the world is full of temptations and traps. Being a follower of Christ means that we are faithful at all times even when it requires great sacrifice. It must be central to everything we do and are. I am willing to follow the teachings of the Catholic Church because I am in love with Jesus Christ!

“Man has his own part to play in the divine work, and that is to arise from all things whatsoever that are not God-from all creatures, including himself. It is in this rising up that the soul’s depths are quickly stirred with longing for God. The more all inordinate desires are shaken off, the stronger and stronger grows the yearning for God, until it seems to pierce flesh and blood and bones and marrow, and enter into the soul’s very essence.”  ~ Fr. John Tauler, O.P.